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Is Wi-Fi a contributing factor when travelling?

Young people are living in a digital world, and this has caused companies to adjust their
strategies to ensure consumer happiness. When it comes to travelling, more people seem to be
jetting off, and what once was seen as a luxury, has now become a necessity for the younger
generation.

How do we book our holidays?
The way we book a holiday is always changing, but now travellers have higher expectations
when doing so. When it comes to the millennial demographic, 46% book travel through a
smartphone which means websites must be optimised and responsive to fit customer needs. To
validate how much digital perks have impacted the way we travel, 87% look to popular social
media platform, Facebook, for travel inspiration, meaning that they are using the internet before
they lay down any solid foundations for booking a holiday.
But what were the statistics surrounding these types of travellers? We’ve teamed up with KBR,business Wi-Fi providers, to investigate whether free internet connection has become one of the
main factors when searching for a hotel room during travelling.Travelling on business
According to Statista, 49% of business travellers required a free Wi-Fi connection. This was
followed by free breakfast that came at a poor 14%, proximity to mass transit, transportation and
shops all at 11%, and a small 6% needing to have a comfortable work chair and a desk in a
room — which comes as a surprise due to the purpose of their trip.
The reason behind this is likely because a businessperson requires to be contactable at all
times from people around the globe, this is enabled through the use of free Wi-Fi which allows
business travellers to be contactable on the go.Travelling for enjoyment
25% of people who travelled for leisure purposes found themselves prioritising an internet
connection. What’s more, 22% required a free breakfast after their night’s stay, 15% had free
parking at the forefront of their minds and 10% needed a hotel with a swimming pool included
before booking.
Within seven minutes of arriving at a hotel, 65% of people have already logged onto the free Wi-
Fi showing how valuable it has become to our lives.

Conforming to consumer demand
Distance to main attractions were once the deciding factor to booking a hotel, but in 2018, what
is more important — location or Wi-Fi connectivity? When guests were asked, 67% said Wi-Fi
was the deciding factor on whether they chose a hotel or not, topping 65% of people who said they would decide purely on geographical location. This could be due to the fact that transport
has become more efficient around the country, with most services also introducing free Wi-Fi
connection to commuters.
After analysing the statistics highlighting the need for a Wi-Fi connection, it was surprising to
see that only 58% of hotel guests cared about a nice night’s sleep. But what can hoteliers do to
work with what customers are demanding?
According to 56% of hotels, technology was high on their priority list and they had made the
decision to better their current Wi-Fi by dedicating a larger budget to creating a better
experience for their guests. This was because, on average, short-term guests will bring up to
three devices and guests that are staying for longer periods tend to bring more — showing that
hotels must start to meet the demands of their consumers to stay on top and highlighting the
importance of making bold movements within the accommodation industry.